Apartment complex granted Conditional Use Permit

TIF District OK’d for Sunset Avenue project

June 28, 2013

NEW ULM - The New Ulm Planning Commission approved several measures for apartment complex projects pending at its Thursday meeting.

The commission granted a Conditional Use Permit for Eagle Development, LLC to build a three-story, 38-unit apartment complex on the block of Minnesota Street between 1st South Street and 2nd South Street. The building will feature 18 one-bedroom units, 18 two-bedroom units and three one-bedroom and den units. The plans calls for outdoor green space and patios as well as indoor community or meeting areas. There will be off-street parking spots and underground parking spots.

Rentals will be limited to individuals at least 55-years old. Representatives from Eagle Development said the centralized location, age restriction and timing of the construction are intended to take advantage of the wave of retiring baby boomers.

Article Photos

Illustration courtesy of Eagle Development, LLC

An 38-unit apartment complex is planned for the 100 block of South Minnesota Street.

Construction on the project is planned for late in 2014.

TIF district

The Commission also approved the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district for the 50-unit apartment complex planned for 1520 Sunset Ave. Doneff Companies, the organization leading the project, said the TIF was essential for obtaining financing. The New Ulm City Council already previously approved the TIF district.

The TIF regulations will require 20 percent, or around 10 units, to be rented to families with income no greater than 50 percent of the Brown County median income. The apartments hope to attract MLC graduates and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod retirees.

Compost site

The Commission approved the Conditional Use Permit for M.R. Paving to run the New Ulm's compost and burn site, clearing the final hurdle for the City to sign the five-year lease with the company.

M.R. Paving recently constructed a new main building across the street from the compost site. The company sought to run the compost site as a new revenue source and additional space for displaying its landscaping materials. M.R. Paving plans to sell filtered and unfiltered compost and transform the burn site into a wood recycling facility, which will be used to sell the resulting wood chips for landscaping. The terms of the lease prohibit any charge for dropping off compost or wood material. The costs of the compost and wood chips will be set next season.

A new addition to M.R. Paving's plans for the site is a demolition transfer facility near the Industrial Drive intersection with 21st North Street. A demolition transfer facility is a temporary storage space for scraps and waste from construction or remodeling projects. The material is then moved Valley Demolition Landfill.

The process now requires the City and M.R. Paving to sign the lease agreement.